[Sam Edwards]

  I considered that it should save my x5, but i want to fiind a solution to hugo too, if i buy it, i don't really want to kill it so fast. as i understand the battery in it is not very good, and it tends to drain fast, and life is not long if i do a lot of cycles with it.
Another thought, it does have an over-charge protection?.. so i can leave it in charging at all times, if i don't take it with me?

I think it's worthwhile to do a little searching in the thread. I think you'll find the answers to these questions have all been given by Hugo's designer, Rob Watts.

 

[thinblueline]

hi m8, i have the Hugo and the hdvd800.If you've only got the money for 1 item then get the Hugo 1st and then when you have the money get the senn 600 amp.The Hugo and hd800 sound great together and i think most people would be happy with it.If You then want 2 take it 2 next level get the senn 600 amp with senns balance cable for the hd800s.If you live in England I'd be happy 4 you 2 come round and listen 4 yourself.

I appreciate the feedback. I read that the HDVD 800's DAC is on par with it's price of around $300 price difference when compared to the 600. I don't think it's a bad thing if it were true. I guess part of the fun of research and shopping is to maximize the return of your cash, so in that sense, there are probably better DAC choices out there. Chord Hugo would certain be a very worthy upgrade and probably more flexible in it's form factor or when paired with more sensitive IEMs. I have read that Shure SE846 sounds great with HDVD on head fi as well.

The decision making process continues, but these are the funner decisions to make in life. It is also very nice to have someone like you to offer up his own rig to better someone else's decision. Maybe we will grab a pint one day when I am across the pond. Greetings from Canada!

 

[Dobrescu George]

 
I think it's worthwhile to do a little searching in the thread. I think you'll find the answers to these questions have all been given by Hugo's designer, Rob Watts.

i am sorry for not reading the entire thread before, but it is long, and i am trying to keep up, with new info, so i thought that i should had asked better, to see. i will also check older things discussed. 
 
again, searching threads is more complicated than simply readin throught it,.

 

[estreeter]

  i am sorry for not reading the entire thread before, but it is long, and i am trying to keep up, with new info, so i thought that i should had asked better, to see. i will also check older things discussed. 
 
again, searching threads is more complicated than simply readin throught it,.

 
I dont believe anyone could seriously expect you to trawl the entire 600+ page thread, but I would have started here (knowing Rob's user name helps):
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/posts/by_user/id/394072
 
18 pages jam packed with the good stuff from the Hugo's designer - how many manufacturers (or in this case, consultants) give you that kind of insight into their products ? When I designed and coded software for a living there is no way I would have given the end user this kind of insight into the process - you write a user manual, do some hands-on training and have someone record one of your presentations - very few people in that industry would be prepared to hand-hold customers for 8+ months. Say what you will about the product or Chord's implementation - Rob is an exceptional professional in a field that tends to be dominated by introverts with a fervent desire to stay away from forums. As a regular on several of those forums, I dont blame them !

 

[Dobrescu George]

thanks, i am going to read through it!
 
i am becoming more and more interested in chord hugo as it seems the ultimate end game portable DAC + Amp..

 

[Sam Edwards]

   
I dont believe anyone could seriously expect you to trawl the entire 600+ page thread, but I would have started here (knowing Rob's user name helps):
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/posts/by_user/id/394072
 
18 pages jam packed with the good stuff from the Hugo's designer - how many manufacturers (or in this case, consultants) give you that kind of insight into their products ? When I designed and coded software for a living there is no way I would have given the end user this kind of insight into the process - you write a user manual, do some hands-on training and have someone record one of your presentations - very few people in that industry would be prepared to hand-hold customers for 8+ months. Say what you will about the product or Chord's implementation - Rob is an exceptional professional in a field that tends to be dominated by introverts with a fervent desire to stay away from forums. As a regular on several of those forums, I dont blame them !

Hey Estreeter,
Nicely done. I wasn't aware of that feature. 
I have to agree that Rob's generosity is incredible. Thanks Rob!

 

[rkt31]

after trying so many apps and software I settled for windows tab as source and foobar for playback software. this is by far the cleanest sounding way for Hugo. install foobar, foobar asio plugin and Hugo driver, select chord Hugo asio as output, disable replay gain and you are ready for most straight forward and hassle free setup for Hugo. I did not find any noise etc in USB, in fact USB input through tab is cleaner than coaxial input. second best is android via uapp app.

 

[bmichels]

after trying so many apps and software I settled for windows tab as source and foobar for playback software. this is by far the cleanest sounding way for Hugo. install foobar, foobar asio plugin and Hugo driver, select chord Hugo asio as output, disable replay gain and you are ready for most straight forward and hassle free setup for Hugo. I did not find any noise etc in USB, in fact USB input through tab is cleaner than coaxial input. second best is android via uapp app.

Footbar better than JRiver ? Did you compared booth ?

 

[AndrewOld]

A new desktop Chord Hugo TT has been announced. See here:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/749063/a-desktop-chord-hugo-is-announced

 

[rkt31]

Footbar better than JRiver ? Did you compared booth ?

Yes I compared both. j river with hugo Asio driver and without any dsp etc sounds a bit more detailed in first impression but is kind of processed as compared to foobar. Foobar is cleaner and smoother to my ear. May be j river is applying some kind of processing even if it is showing direct path in top right icon. same is true with dsd ( is that 64bit j river engine messing with bit stream ?  I am having this impression because tab has limited processing power and foobar works fine with sacd ISO in tab but j river hiccups .)  imho Hugo has much more sophisticated processing than j river 64bit engine therefore sending the unaltered bit perfect stream to Hugo is best bet. I have even tried and compared dsd as dxd in j river vs dsd as dop in foobar and to my ears foobar was audibly cleaner in dsd as dop.

 

[dallan]

Got my eyes on this, just afraid that at this point if I decide to get it, a new model will jump out since its been out a year now.

 

[514077]

  Yes I compared both. j river with hugo Asio driver and without any dsp etc sounds a bit more detailed in first impression but is kind of processed as compared to foobar. Foobar is cleaner and smoother to my ear. May be j river is applying some kind of processing even if it is showing direct path in top right icon. same is true with dsd ( is that 64bit j river engine messing with bit stream ?  I am having this impression because tab has limited processing power and foobar works fine with sacd ISO in tab but j river hiccups .)  imho Hugo has much more sophisticated processing than j river 64bit engine therefore sending the unaltered bit perfect stream to Hugo is best bet. I have even tried and compared dsd as dxd in j river vs dsd as dop in foobar and to my ears foobar was audibly cleaner in dsd as dop.

Did you have to do anything to foobar to make it play DXD?  I order Pawn Shop at 352 but it wasn't recognized by foobar.
Thanks in advance.

 

[OK-Guy]

   
I dont believe anyone could seriously expect you to trawl the entire 600+ page thread, but I would have started here (knowing Rob's user name helps):
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/posts/by_user/id/394072
 
18 pages jam packed with the good stuff from the Hugo's designer - how many manufacturers (or in this case, consultants) give you that kind of insight into their products ? When I designed and coded software for a living there is no way I would have given the end user this kind of insight into the process - you write a user manual, do some hands-on training and have someone record one of your presentations - very few people in that industry would be prepared to hand-hold customers for 8+ months. Say what you will about the product or Chord's implementation - Rob is an exceptional professional in a field that tends to be dominated by introverts with a fervent desire to stay away from forums. As a regular on several of those forums, I dont blame them !

 
I had the pleasure of Rob's company on Saturday afternoon when he came to visit, he is a superb guy forsure and very jovial... I was also at Chord's premises on Friday where John & Matt were preparing for CES, it was manic with a real excitement in the air... I know & have seen what is  being released and it looks...

 

 

[sp3llv3xit]

   
Yes, I have wondered about that too. Not sure if this is because the Hugo + HD800 sound is too ‘clean’ (too close to neutral?) for certain recordings, usually pop/jazz/rock/rap. That said, with well-recorded classical/jazz/folk/vocal music, don’t feel that I am missing out on anything 'down there'. In fact, one often hears/discovers more low note instrumental detail. 
 
Maybe, the Hugo + HD800 combination emphasises less on bass presence and more on lower register instrument details. Meaning: you don’t get bass where there is none... and the low notes are delivered in such a timely/distinct/accurate manner that one perceives less weight. 
 
Perhaps, 'neutral' is not what one prefers when listening to pop/jazz/rock/rap. Arguably, some artistes/bands are not meant to be listened to in an analytical set-up.
 
 

I listen to Classical music regularly.  The HD800 driven by the Hugo is too dry and too light.  I suspect the Hugo does not have enough juice to push out the bass of the HD800. 

Wind instruments lack the weight and the rumble out of the Hugo.

Oftentimes, when I use the HD800, I had to pack on another amp on top of the Hugo to add the much needed bass weight.

 

[katulu]

 

I listen to Classical music regularly.  The HD800 driven by the Hugo is too dry and too light.  I suspect the Hugo does not have enough juice to push out the bass of the HD800. 

Wind instruments lack the weight and the rumble out of the Hugo.

Oftentimes, when I use the HD800, I had to pack on another amp on top of the Hugo to add the much needed bass weight.

 
 
I don't doubt your  assessment, as I am of the same opinion (I'm using GS5-uapp-Hugo-HD800), but it is interesting to me (maybe a bit hard to believe) that bass will be added with just a stronger amp (I mean, with no EQ, although I might be missing your meaning).  Is there an amp powerful enough that I could go to, say, Best Buy, and try to hear the difference myself? Or, what do you use?